Multiple Virginia Factories Have Reported COVID-19

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia news coming right up.

But First…

Even though the state’s gas prices are extremely low, travel is (unsurprisingly) expected to be down this Memorial Day weekend. — 8 News

Five Things You Need to Know Today

1. Virginia’s Coronavirus Cases Rise to Nearly 35,000 –  There are currently 34,950 reported cases of COVID-19 in Virginia, an increase of 813 or 2% since yesterday. There are 4,145 people who have been hospitalized and 1,136 people who have died due to the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. So far, 223,433 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the state. — Dogwood
   
   
2. Northam Suggests Statewide Face Covering Rules- Gov. Ralph Northam has suggested that statewide face-covering rules could be implemented soon to prevent further spread of COVID-19. “Wearing a mask could literally save someone else’s life,” said the governor. “Face coverings are an important part of the next steps, and we’ll have more to say on that next week.” Northam hinted that the details of this plan will be introduced on Tuesday. — InsideNova
   
   
3. Virginia is Opening a New Call Center to Field Unemployment Requests- Virginia is opening a new call center that will help more people file unemployment claims. Over 720,000 people have applied for unemployment in Virginia, with 44,000 new claims last week alone. The state’s outdated unemployment system has made it difficult to get in contact with the Virginia Employment Commission. —  CBS 6 
   
   
4. Gov. Northam Signs Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana- Gov. Northam officially signed a bill decriminalizing marijuana into law on Thursday. The governor had requested that the bill be amended in the General Assembly’s reconvened April 22 session. Northam also signed eight other bills. The law is set to go into effect on July 1 and will reduce penalties for offenses involving possession of marijuana. — WHSV
   
   
5. Multiple Virginia Factories Report COVID-19 Outbreaks-Factories can be breeding grounds for viruses. And multiple Virginia factories have reported COVID-19 outbreaks all across the state. We have compiled a comprehensive list of the affected factories in the commonwealth. — Dogwood